This may be a difficult lesson to learn in our selfish world of today where people think that they can do whatever they want without any concern of how their actions affect others. Matthew tells us the opposite of this (as did Paul). We are called to be concerned about others. We are to be careful that our actions do not cause others to sin. We are also called to point out to others how they have sinned, knowing full well that we too are not perfect and have sinned against others.
Read MoreJust last week we heard Jesus call [Peter] a rock. This week Jesus calls him a stumbling block. How can that be? Luther had a phrase for that: simul justus et peccator – simultaneous saint and sinner.
Read MoreNoting that it was not Peter who came up with his confession but God’s Spirit, we wonder if Matthew is reminding all that it is God who calls the church together and that God chooses even those who are weak, afraid, and make mistakes; that it is upon the faith given by God that builds the church.
Read MoreWhat we say and how we say it is important in the life of a Christian. We are to be careful that our words do not offend but also we need to make sure that we correct those who are wrong – even those in authority as Jesus shows by correcting the Pharisees and the woman by correcting Jesus.
Read More“They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” After the meal they do have something to give – twelve full baskets. — God has filled your basket full and now calls you to go out and help feed the people who are in need.
Read MoreIn our science-minded world where we have unlocked many of the secrets of life, we lose the wonder of the story because we know what yeast is and how seeds grow. But for the people Jesus taught they saw God working in the seed and the yeast. It is God who will grow the kingdom and the mustard shrub. Jesus is saying, “Do your part. Do not worry. God will take care of the growth.”
Read MoreThis was because God did not want to take the chance of harming one faithful person by removing the evil ones. That means we grow together. You know what that means. You have experienced the weeds growing among us and maybe have been influenced by them in your lives. Remember this is just a parable – it does not say once a weed always a weed.
Read MoreThat is the power of teaching with parables. We all bring our own story to Jesus’ stories and hear, by the help of the Holy Spirit, what we need to hear in our lives at that juncture.
Read MoreAn apropos reminder in our time where we are dealing with a novel virus and old attitudes about others. If we fall back on how things used to be, if we strive to return to the old ways we will fail. We are called to approach these troubling times with open minds and, more importantly, hearts.
Read MoreThe reward for welcoming others comes from Jesus. Therefore they can receive others as if they were receiving Jesus. But, more importantly, they could proclaim Jesus by how they receive others. They may give them a drink of water – life giving water.
Read MoreSlavery is wrong, has always been wrong. So why would Jesus – God’s son – use slavery as an example and why would Matthew use it as well? In part it may be that slavery was common in the Roman empire and was generally accepted as the way life. That still does not make it right. Yet there may be a hidden message here on Matthew’s part at least.
Read MoreThat is why we answer Jesus’ call to mission; we see how others are mistreated, suffer, and struggle and we know that it is wrong – our guts tell us. Knowing that we have been given the authority, we then answer the call and bring Jesus and his love and care to those in need.
Read MoreWhile others are looking to, “Get back to the way it used to be.” We are excited by the possibility of and are looking forward to the new that God is creating. A new world where all people will be treated equally as God has made us.
Read MoreThe Holy Spirit comes when it chooses. When it comes, it comes and changes lives and situations. Luke shows us this. In Acts the spirit comes in different ways to different people and causes them to do different things. One thing is always the same, once you are filled with the Holy Spirit your life will never be the same.
Read MoreIn many early religions there was an understanding that if you knew the name of something you had power over it and could control it. It is, in part, the reason why Jews never pronounce the name of God (YHWH) when it appears in the text, instead saying “LORD.” While knowing the name of a person may work when disciplining young children, or to personalize an encounter with another, it does not give us any control over another person or thing. How then should we understand Jesus’ words in our gospel for today?
Read MoreWe are living in a time that is unprecedented for us and we see all sorts and ways of dealing with it. From denying that it is important to brushing off the sickness and death as water under the bridge. We miss the way it used to be. We fear what might happen to us. In this confusion and fear we are called to make decisions even when we do not fully understand the times.
Read MoreYes, questions are important. Just think about your own life. How many times were you in a situation that got blown all out of proportion because you, or someone else, did not ask a question. Relationships are based on asking questions not on assuming. Relationships are built on open communication and not secret whispering. I cannot tell you how many times I have been involved with counseling couples whose problem stemmed from not asking a question about some situation.
Read MoreJohn’s deliberate choice to include Jesus’ use of, “I Am,” was to emphasize Jesus’ divinity. “I AM,” had become the name of God in Judaism. It comes from the many times that God identifies himself in the Old Testament: “I Am YHWH, I Am He, I Am who I Am.” John is making sure the reader of his gospel knows that Jesus is the Great I Am.
Read MoreIt seems that Luke is not trying to prove that the resurrection of Jesus occurred here (his readers already believed that) but to tell something about Christian life. Remembering the early name for the church was “The Way,” and the other encounters that Luke tells us that happened on a journey such as Philip instructing the Ethiopian Eunuch (Acts 8:40) or Paul’s encounter on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19), you can begin to see why Luke chose this story as his lead article on the resurrection.
Read MoreIn this time where we are keeping social distancing and staying at home how then are we to answer Jesus’ call?
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